Chloropicrin or nitrochloroform is useful as a soil fumigant to control certain fungal diseases of plants and soil infestations of nematodes. Although almost insolubile in water, even very low concentrations of chloropicrin in water are irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. Concentrations as low as one part per million of chloropicrin can cause a lachrymatory effect. In addition, contamination by chloropicrin may interfere with the recycling of an aqueous industrial process stream where recycling of the water is desirable. Therefore, it is preferable to remove even small amounts of chloropicrin from industrial waste streams or other contaminated water prior to recycling or discharge into the environment.
Chloropicrin may be removed from waste streams by steam-stripping. This procedure, although effective, requires the use of a considerable amount of energy to produce the steam required for the stripping operation. With the costs of energy increasing, it would be desirable to use a less energy intensive method for removing the chloropicrin.